The 1987 Topps baseball card set is one of the most famous and sought after sets for collectors due to the unusually high number of errors found among the cards. While all card sets have occasional mistakes, the ‘87 Topps errors stand out in their variety and collectability. Some of the more well-known errors include missing signatures, swapped photos, miscut designs, and incorrect stats or player information. With over 50 confirmed errors in the base set alone, it became known as the ‘erroriffic’ set among collectors.
One of the most iconic ‘87 Topps errors is the Ozzie Smith card (#91). On the normal version of the card, Smith is shown fielding a ground ball. On the error card, his photo is swapped with that of fellow Cardinals player Andy Van Slyke. Only a handful of the swapped photo error cards are known to exist today, making it one of the most valuable mistakes in the set. Another famous swapped photo error saw Darryl Strawberry’s photo replaced with that of Lenny Dykstra on card #250. Like the Ozzie Smith error, these swapped photo variations are considered true gems in any error card collection.
In addition to swapped photos, missing signatures created some of the most identifiable mistakes. Future Hall of Famer Wade Boggs was missing his signature on card #234, one of the easier errors to spot. Another star player, Andre Dawson, also had his autograph missing on the reverse of card #249. Without the signatures, these cards stand out dramatically from the standard issue versions. The missing autographs helped cement the ‘87 Topps set in the minds of collectors as one of the richest error sources ever.
Miscuts were also present throughout the 1987 production run. Some cards had design elements or photos cut off oddly. An infamous miscut saw most of Darryl Strawberry’s face removed on card #250. Other miscuts trimmed off statistics or player names. Due to the scarcity of miscut cards reaching collectors, examples with even minor design errors are considered very rare and desirable finds today. The statistical and production anomalies added intrigue and mystery to an already error-prone release.
Beyond the big star players, lesser-known errors on obscure players make up the bulk of confirmed mistakes. Names spelled wrong, positions listed incorrectly, or stats from the wrong season all occurred randomly. Even reserve players and pitchers with only a few career games have documented errors. The sheer breadth of mistakes across the entire ‘87 Topps roster is a big part of what fascinates collectors decades later. Whether a superstar or a journeyman, errors were democratic in their distribution.
The root cause of so many mistakes has been debated over the years. Some theorize that Topps rushed production to meet deadlines. Others blame faulty printing plates or poor quality control. While the how remains uncertain, the what is well documented thanks to the collector community’s diligence in archive errors. Online databases now attribute over 50 specific mistakes to the base set alone, with more still being discovered. As the years pass, the 1987 Topps errors have become both a respected niche in the hobby and a reminder of the imperfect beauty in even the largest sports card releases.
For collectors, finding one of the major documented errors like a swapped photo or missing signature is a true thrill of the hobby. But even undiscovered minor mistakes can be exciting to find. The sheer number and randomness of the errors keeps the 1987 Topps set endlessly intriguing over 30 years later. Prices have risen steadily for top examples as demand grows among error collectors. With such a rich history of production problems and so many documented variants, the 1987 Topps baseball cards will remain one of the most fascinating sets for mistakes in the industry. The “erroriffic” label has certainly stuck as a testament to the unprecedented errors that still excite collectors today.
